ASU Department of Psychology

🎉 Congratulations to doctoral student Alexandria Melick on being awarded the 2026 Penelope Davis Neuroscience Scholarship!

Established to support graduate students researching dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, the scholarship recognizes promising scholars advancing neuroscience research.

Mentored by Assistant Professor Jessica Verpeut in the SOCIAL (Study of Circuits in Adolescent Life) Neurobiology Lab, Melick studies the development of neural circuits and brain structure in early life to better understand behavior. The lab focuses on long-distance neural circuits from the cerebellar cortex involved in social and flexible behavior, with research exploring sensitive periods of neural development, how genes and the environment influence neural maturation and aging and analyzing the effect of neuromodulators on downstream signaling pathways.

Way to go, Alex!

Congratulations to our 2026 Psychology ‘Rising’ Scholar Award recipients! 🎉

Each year, six outstanding psychology and neuroscience students are recognized for academic excellence, research achievements and community engagement.

🌟 Renata Escobar is a first-generation psychology student with a minor in counseling and applied psychological science. She has supported fellow students as a success coach while serving as both a teaching and research assistant.

🌟 Jane Li is a Barrett, The Honors College at ASU student double majoring in psychology and biomedical sciences. With a 4.0 GPA, she conducts research in Assistant Professor Joanna Kim’s Engaging Families Lab and serves as a student leader in the Next Generation Service Corps.

🌟 Brendan Salisbury is an honors student with a 4.0 GPA and recognition as a Flinn, Coca-Cola, Bezos and McCord Scholar. He conducts research in Professor Samuel McClure’s Decision Neuroscience Laboratory and serves as Executive Director of Great Heart Global.

🌟 Sanjana Karthik is an honors student majoring in neuroscience with a minor in psychology. She conducts research in Assistant Professor Gi-Yeul Bae’s Visual Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, will join Professor Federico Sanabria’s Basic Behavioral Processes Lab this summer and supports mental health and international student initiatives.

🌟 Matthew Bala, a two-time recipient of this award, is an honors student majoring in neuroscience. As lab manager at the Arizona Biomedical Collaborative, he leads undergraduate researchers while contributing to cardio-oncology research, clinical programs and community service initiatives.

🌟 Aysa Yslas-Grube is an honors student majoring in psychology with a minor in business. With a 4.0 GPA, she conducts Behavioral Informatics Lab research developing AI tools to identify and respond to human emotion in text and serves on the Psychology Engagement Team.

Congratulations to psychology major Iris Wang, who earned third place and a $1,000 prize in the ASU x Ultimate Endgamers League Combine. 🎮

Hosted by The GAME School within ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the competition gave Sun Devils the opportunity to compete across more than 40 games while pursuing scholarship prizes and professional opportunities through the Ultimate Endgamers League.

"Playing video games is my favorite thing to do, and I also enjoy competing, so it was amazing to place in the Combine," said Wang. "It was fun playing new games I'd never played before and coming up with strategies to be the most efficient and gain points!"

Another competition is anticipated this fall. Learn more at asucombine.com.

Our second recipient of this year's Darwyn and Marie Linder Graduate Fellowship in Social Psychology is Eric Aglozo! 🏆

Mentored by Professor Adam Cohen, Aglozo studies the intersection of culture and religion, with a particular focus on moral responsibility and accountability. His current research examines beliefs about the devil and their broader psychological implications.

Aglozo's work includes developing a model of how people perceive insults and the emotional and behavioral responses that follow. In his remaining time at ASU, he plans to continue testing his devil agency model and exploring how these beliefs shape the way we hold others accountable.

Congratulations, Eric!

Jamie Katz, a social psychology doctoral student mentored by Professor Michelle "Lani" Shiota, earned three Department of Psychology honors this spring:

🏆 Darwyn and Marie Linder Graduate Fellowship in Social Psychology
🏆 Graduate Student Pedagogy Award
🏆 Samuel Leifheit Service Award

Jamie’s research explores positive emotions such as awe and wonder, investigating how they shape cognition and influence behavior. Her work examines how both pleasant and unpleasant emotional experiences are preserved in memory, what makes experiences meaningful and how language influences emotional experience. By integrating cognitive, affective and social psychological theory, she seeks to better understand how emotions shape our thoughts and social lives.

An NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Jamie has also made a lasting impact on the Department of Psychology through her leadership in the Psychology Graduate Student Association, recruitment efforts and support of key research initiatives. Her intellectual excellence, dedication to teaching and service and genuine care for others make her a truly deserving recipient of these honors.

Congratulations, Jamie!

The demand for mental health care is rising rapidly, but the number of trained professionals isn't keeping pace.

Beginning in fall 2026, Arizona State University’s Department of Psychology will offer a fully online Master of Science in clinical psychology designed to help address this growing need.

Built on the strengths of ASU's nationally recognized and APA-accredited clinical psychology doctoral program, the degree combines rigorous clinical training, evidence-based practice and flexible online learning. Students will also complete 600 hours of in-person practicum training in their local communities.

Learn more about the new program: news.asu.edu/20260529-science-and-technology-new-online-masters-degree-clinical-psychology-expand-access-mental

👏 Cheers to Sophie Byrd, winner of the John W. Reich Prize in Applied Social Psychology! This award honors an undergraduate psychology major whose research reflects Emeritus Professor John W. Reich’s commitment to testing theory in real-world settings and addressing meaningful social issues through scientific methods.

Byrd is a Barrett, The Honors College at ASU student majoring in psychology and family and human development. At ASU, she contributes to research through the QUEST Study and Associate Professor Kelsey Lucca’s Emerging Minds Lab.

Her commitment to service extends far beyond the classroom. Through National Charity League, Byrd completed more than 200 hours of volunteer service with local charities over four years. She has also supported her community through organizations including Girl Scouts, National Honor Society, Best Buddies and Link Crew.

During the fall 2025 semester, Byrd served as a Learning Assistant supporting first-year students in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She now applies her psychology training directly in the community as a Respite Care Provider and Life Enrichment Assistant in memory care.

“ I have been fortunate enough to meet so many people from varying backgrounds and experiences and work in different disciplines that have broadened my life's perspectives in many ways," shared Byrd. "I am a better person today and that is because of the people in my ASU community that have pushed me to be a better student, worker and thinker."

Recognizing outstanding scholarship: Alexys Murillo — recipient of the Robert B. Cialdini Graduate Scholar Award for Theoretical Development in Psychology! This award honors doctoral students advancing psychological science through innovative theoretical frameworks and models.

Murillo, a developmental psychology PhD student mentored by Professor Kathryn Lemery-Chalfant, combines sophisticated methods and complex data to better understand how socioeconomic factors shape stress reactivity.

In the Child Emotion Center, Murillo leads a large team of undergraduate research assistants while building an impressive record of scholarship, teaching and mentorship. Her master’s research has already led to a first-authored publication in "Clinical Psychological Science" and multiple conference presentations. Beyond her research, she has taught her own course and continues to mentor peers and undergraduate students.

Congratulations, Alexys! 🎉

Congratulations to Valeria Aguayo and Angela Sun, recipients of the Zita M. Johnson Child Study Scholarship in the Department of Psychology! 👶📚

Awarded to psychology majors pursuing careers working with young children, this scholarship honors Zita M. Johnson, former director of the Child Study Laboratory and a lifelong advocate for children and families.

Both Aguayo and Sun are Barrett, The Honors College at ASU students double majoring in psychology and family and human development. They’ve also conducted research in Associate Professor Kelsey Lucca’s Emerging Minds Lab.

This marks Sun’s second year receiving the award. Building on her research experience, she founded BrightBridge, where she serves as team lead and UX research lead for an interdisciplinary team developing a trauma-informed platform to help adolescents navigate relationship decisions and combat loneliness in partnership with Peer Solutions.

This summer, Sun will join DriveTime as an Organizational Development Intern, contributing to the design and evaluation of employee learning systems.

Aguayo, a Dorrance Scholar, has studied abroad across Europe and also served as a classroom assistant in the Child Development Lab.

Kudos, Valeria and Angela! 👏

Aliya Hashim came to Arizona State University from Chandigarh, India, and built an interdisciplinary path spanning neuroscience, pharmacology and toxicology research across the Tempe and West Valley campuses.

Now an graduating with two bachelor’s degrees and a minor in philosophy, Hashim has been named the Dean’s Medalist for ASU New College at West Valley campus.

Along the way, she conducted research in multiple labs, including Assistant Professor Jessica Verpeut's SOCIAL (Study of Circuits in Adolescent Life) Neurobiology Lab in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

“My mentors ... supported me not just academically but as a person,” Hashim said. “They reminded me that it’s okay to take breaks and prioritize mental health.”

Next, she plans to pursue an MD-PhD.

Read more: news.asu.edu/20260508-sun-devil-community-graduates-journey-india-asu-leads-deans-medalist-recognition